How Many People Can Legally Live in a House?

The law on occupancy enacted by Congress states that two persons per bedroom is an acceptable standard for determining the number of people allowed to live in a house, says Kristi Bunge writing for the American Bar. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule, adds Bunge.

The two-persons-per-bedroom rule is applicable only when the house and rooms are of standard size, states Bunge. If the bedrooms are larger or smaller, or if the living area is spacious, the number of occupants permitted also changes accordingly, explains Bunge. When counting the number of occupants in a house, most experts do not take into account any infants present.